Daniel Briere is the general manager of the Flyers. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
June 26, 2026 Updated 10:42 pm EDT
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Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Philadelphia Flyers’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system. This page will be updated throughout the 2026 NHL Draft.
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Draft Class
27. Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD, London Knights (OHL)
July 12, 2008 | 6′ 8″ | 238 pounds
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Poor
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: High-end
Analysis: Sokolovskii is a massive and highly athletic defenseman. He’s a strong, mobile player who’s very physical and projects to make a ton of stops. The debate on Sokolovskii will come down to his puck play. He can certainly fight the puck at times, although he showed progress as the season went on. The hope is that he can make basic outlets and retrievals because if so, an NHL coach will play him a lot.
Pick grade: C+
Thoughts on the pick: The people who really like him say to throw out the first half and just focus on his second half and the playoffs, where he was moving the puck a little bit better and making a few more plays. He was really raw and developing. He’s a freak athlete and is very physical, but there’s no offense. If he keeps developing over the next year or two, maybe you’re getting someone who can be a top-four defenseman.
Jun 27, 2026
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